January 12, 2026

Why flexible deployment of PV systems is becoming the new norm in Belgium.

Willian van de Sande

Published by

Willian van de Sande

Covolt Netherlands

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From April 1, 2026, the following will disappear Ggroene Selectricity certificates (GSC) with negative electricity prices. Discover the impact on PV systems in Belgium and how smart control reduces costs. 

Starting April 1, 2026, the landscape for renewable energy in Flanders will undergo a major change. The Flemish government has approved an amendment to the Energy Decree under which Green Power Certificates (GPCs) will no longer be awarded when prices on the day-ahead market are negative. With curtailment—the limiting or shutting down of the PV system—Covolt offers a solution. 

Specifically: as soon as negative electricity prices apply for a given 15-minute period, a PV system will no longer receive GSCs for that period. Flanders is thus following European guidelines aimed at creating a more efficient and stable electricity grid.

Why this measure? Preventing grid congestion during injection

Just like in the Netherlands, Belgium is also increasingly facing grid congestion. This problem arises not only when demand is high, but also when excessive injection of electricity at times of high solar production. 

Large-scale PV installations can lead to structural overproduction, which puts pressure on the electricity grid. With the elimination of GSCs at negative prices, it becomes less financially attractive to inject electricity into the grid in an uncontrolled manner. 

Who will be affected by this new decision?

  • All production technologies: Wind, CHP, biomass, and solar panels 
  • Exceptions:  
    • <400 kW bruto nominaal vermogen (bestaande installaties) 
    • <200 kW voor installaties die vanaf 1 januari 2026 in gebruik worden genomen. 

Capturing excess production with a battery? That is also possible! But not everyone has the permission or financing to invest in a battery. Also battery control Covolt support for battery control. 

What is the financial impact of this decision?

In the past, GSCs made injection profitable even at negative prices. That advantage is now disappearing completely. 

Some figures:  

  • In 2025, more than 500 negative hourly prices were recorded on the day-ahead market. That accounts for +6% of all hours in 2025! 
  • An average PV system of 700 kWp can save between €5/kWp and €20/kWp at negative hourly prices. 
  • The Flemish Government calculated that by not providing support for production during periods with a negative price of 1 hour, 40% fewer GSCs would be awarded during that same period.   

In short: Flexible management pays off!  

Smart curtailment with 2 setpoints as a solution

At Covolt Belgium, we work with setpoints to control PV systems intelligently. The power output of the inverters is automatically adjusted depending on current consumption requirements and market prices. In doing so: 
  • No injection at negative day-ahead prices 
  • Maximum use of directly consumed solar energy 
  • Avoiding negative price impact 
Important: Also for self-consumed electricity during negative prices no GSCs granted. This measure therefore has a double impact!  How do those two setpoints work?  At Setpoint 1 – Negative price threshold: As soon as a negative price point is detected, production is reduced to the level of own consumption. The power of the inverter is increased or decreased depending on current consumption.  At Setpoint 2 – Complete shutdown: When the price level becomes so low that your own consumption is more expensive than purchasing from the grid, the PV system shuts down completely. At that point, you will be paid to purchase electricity from the grid. 

Choose an independent steering group 

If independent party Covolt controls your PV system entirely based on day-ahead market incentivesUnlike energy suppliers, we manage no portfolio.   That means: 
  • No conflict of interest 
  • No portfolio balancing 
  • Complete focus on cost reduction for your company 
  Flexible use of PV systems is becoming the norm. Smart control reduces your energy costs structurally. 

Want to know more? Contact us! 

Sources:
BIS MEMO TO THE FLEMISH GOVERNMENT VR 2025 1909 DOC.0832/1BIS
BIS MEMO TO THE FLEMISH GOVERNMENT VR 2025 1909 DOC.0832/2TER

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